Owner Kaylee Lyons officially launched the home-based bakery, Kaylee’s Country Kitchen, in Liberty Hill Feb. 10. The new business offers made-from-scratch desserts with quality ingredients, according to Lyons.

On the menu: Kaylee’s Country Kitchen is currently serving up sweet treats and comfort foods like brownies, cheesecakes, cookies and cakes, Lyons said. Previous drops have included red velvet cheesecake brownies, pumpkin cheesecake and peanut butter brownies.

The bakery will soon add fudge to the lineup of desserts, according to its Facebook. Customers who are interested can visit the social media page to suggest flavor combinations and new desserts.

Quote of note: “We believe food should feel like home,” Lyons said in an email to Community Impact. “It should bring people together, spark conversation and leave you wanting just one more bite.”

One more thing: To place an order, customers can message Kaylee’s Country Kitchen on Facebook.

• 4101 CR 207, Liberty Hill

A major regional water project has taken another step forward, with crews completing upgrades to a raw waterline along Trails End Road, according to a Feb. 5 update from the city of Leander.

The details: The work is part of the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority’s deep water intake project, which will eventually pump up to 145 million gallons of raw water per day from the deepest parts of Lake Travis. The effort is designed to help Cedar Park, Round Rock and Leander meet growing demand while strengthening each city’s water supply during drought conditions.

Construction began in 2022 and includes a 2-mile pipeline carrying water from lake intake screens to a new pump station, along with a 78-inch transmission tunnel and pipeline connecting to existing treatment plants.

Of note: To complete recent repairs, the BCRUA plant was temporarily shut down, and Leander relied entirely on the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant. However, the facility is now back online. Phases 2 and 2A of the project are expected to be complete by summer 2027.

A grant from the Texas Water Development Board could allow Williamson County officials to purchase and install $1 million of flood warning equipment in areas vulnerable to flash floods.

What happened: Commissioners approved the grant agreement at a Feb. 10 meeting, allowing the Office of Emergency Management to start project plans.

The grant could provide outdoor warning sirens, flood gauges and sensors as well as communication software testing training, County Emergency Management Director Bruce Clements said at the meeting.

The OEM will identify locations most prone to flooding in the county to come up with a project proposal for the grant. Proposals are due to the TWDB by Dec. 31.

There is no local match requirement for the grant.

Why now? TWDB is administering the program pursuant to Senate Bill 3 and Senate Bill 5, which awarded flood prevention grants to 30 counties. Grants will be dispersed after project plans are submitted.

Check out six upcoming, ongoing or completed transportation projects across the Austin metro.

Bell District to 183A Toll shared-use path
Construction is underway on a shared-use path that will connect 183A Toll to Bell Park in Cedar Park. It will be a 10-foot-wide concrete path following along Brushy Creek Road.
Update: According to city officials, crews have begun building the path itself, as well as working on utility relocations and drainage infrastructure.

• Timeline: expected completion fall 2026
• Cost: $3.3 million
• Funding source: 2022 transportation bond

• Timeline: 2026-27
• Cost: $23 million
• Funding source: Type B sales tax revenue

Early voting runs from Feb. 17-27 for the upcoming March 3 election. Williamson County voters are able to cast ballots in a number of primary races.

Continue reading for a guide to what is on the ballot, including links to Q&As with local candidates, and information on where to vote.

1. Dates to know

• Feb. 17: early in-person voting begins
• Feb. 20: deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot
• Feb. 27: early voting ends
• March 3: primary election day

Early in-person voting in Texas’ primary elections begins Feb. 17 and lasts until Feb. 27.

How it works: Texas has an open primary system, where voters decide at the polling place whether to cast ballots in the Democratic or Republican primary. Voters may not participate in both primaries.

What to expect: Voters will be given a ballot with a slate of statewide seats and other races determined by the voting precinct they live in. During early voting, registered voters can visit any polling location in their county.

Candidates who win their primaries will advance to the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Why it matters: Early voting gives registered voters the opportunity to cast their ballots before primary election day March 3.

Voter advocacy groups and experts told Community Impact that a vote in the March primaries is “the most impactful vote” Texans can cast, due to consistently low voter turnout and competition in certain races. Over 18 million Texans are registered to vote, although about one-fifth of registered voters participated in recent primary elections.